Dead Cold Mysteries Box Set #1: Books 1-4 (A Dead Cold Box Set), Blake Banner [classic children's novels txt] 📗

Padraig O’Neil

Sadiq Khan

Robert Bellini

Dehan dropped the paper on the desk.

“Who is Robert Bellini?”

I shook my head. “I have no idea.”

“Sonia Vincenzo is an attorney, isn’t she?”

“Yeah. And she works for her uncle. Talking to her is going to be about as useful as talking to the wall.” I gazed out at the gathering dusk. “Unless…”

Dehan spoke my thoughts, “Unless you can lure her into trying to incriminate Sean.” I nodded and she went on. “Sean is dead, but the legend of the saint lives on, and once the press gets hold of this, he will become a martyr. However, if she can be induced to talk, his memory might be ruined forever.”

“Yup, and once she starts talking, maybe I can catch her in a lie. It’s worth a try. I don’t want you to come along.”

She raised an eyebrow at me. “Any reason?”

“Yup. She’ll open up to a man, the minute you give her a taste of your attitude, she’ll clam up.”

She grinned. “Fair point. What do you want me to do?”

“I want a name for every single one of those kids in that photograph and I want to know what happened to them and where they are today. If we are going to get any real evidence, it will be from them. Talk to the Captain, see if he’ll allocate us some help tracing those kids.”

She nodded and went upstairs. I found Sonia Vincenzo’s firm, called, and made an appointment for the following morning at ten. I was yawning and stretching when Dehan came back down. She looked drawn and tired. I realized she’d been about thirty-six hours without sleep. I got to my feet.

“Come on, kiddo, that’s enough for one day. I’m taking you home.”

She stood nodding, lots, like she really agreed with me, but gazing at the floor like she couldn’t make up her mind about something.

“I left my car at your place.”

“You okay to drive?”

“Yeah, I’m fine, but let me stop off at a supermarket on the way. Okay?”

“Sure.”

We stopped at Kmart on Bruckner Boulevard. She jumped out and said, “Two minutes!” as she slammed the door. She ran across the parking lot and I smiled at how long her legs were. Not many women could get away with legs that long and slim, but she had all the elegance and grace supermodels pretended to have. Only, with Dehan, it was real.

I frowned at myself and changed my train of thought. I thought about Sean and Conor, and Father O’Neil, the photographs, and now Sonia Vincenzo. It was like having a jigsaw puzzle with too many pieces. The picture was already pretty much complete, so what the hell do you do with the extra pieces? I drummed on the wheel. Granted, there were uncomfortable questions, but how did the photographs, and the niece of the New Jersey Capo, explain Sean being dressed as a tramp, and Alicia’s disappearance?

I rubbed my face with my palms and told myself, enough. Dehan was walking back toward the car with a paper bag. She had a nice swing to her hips and she was smiling. She climbed in the car and slammed the door.

“Okay, let’s go.”

I looked at the bag as I turned the key. There was a bottle of wine poking out and a few other bits and pieces. I smiled and pulled away.

“You got a date?”

She laughed a bit too loud. “Yeah. This guy I’ve been seeing.”

I was surprised. “Really? Is it serious?”

She stared out the side window. “You kidding? It’s like we’re married.”

I pulled onto the Boulevard. “Wow! That good, huh? How come you didn’t tell me?”

She looked at me a moment with an odd expression.

“I didn’t say it was good. I said it was like we were married.”

I laughed and said no more, wondering why I felt suddenly tired and irritable instead of just tired.

I pulled in behind her car and we both climbed out. She stood staring at me over the roof as I locked the Jag. She spoke suddenly. “What are you having for dinner?”

I raised my eyebrows and made a ‘pfffff!’ noise. “I hadn’t thought about it really. Cheese on toast?”

She held up the bag and smiled. It was an odd expression, timid, apologetic, hopeful, almost pleading. “I got sirloin. I also got bacon, and eggs, to replace the stuff I keep eating.”

She caught me off guard and I didn’t know what to say. After a moment, I laughed. “Sure! That’s great! You didn’t have to, but I’m glad you did.”

She didn’t move, just stood staring at me. “You sure you don’t mind?”

“Yeah! Of course I don’t. Come on, let’s go inside.” I took a step, but she didn’t move. “Carmen, are you okay?”

“Stone?”

“Yeah?”

The pale amber glow from the street lamp was touching her face in the growing darkness. I saw the wet gleam of a tear on her cheek. She looked scared.

“I need to talk to you.”

“What about, Carmen?”

“Promise me…”

I took a step toward her. “Promise you what, Dehan?”

“Promise me you’ll keep me as your partner. Promise me you won’t dump me or request a transfer.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Promise me!”

“Of course I won’t, Dehan! What’s this about?”

“I am going to tell you the truth… The truth about me.”

Ten

A soft breeze moved her hair across her face. It seemed to be the only movement in the world at that moment. I nodded once, said, “okay,” and turned and walked to the door. I opened it and went in, leaving it open behind me. I switched on the kitchen light, proceeding to turn on the living room lamps and pull the drapes. I heard